Jobim Carlos hopes to cap a remarkable amateur career with another victory in the country’s premier golf championship, the Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open, which unwraps this Tuesday at Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club’s Aoki course in Gen. Trias, Cavite.
Carlos outgunned Rupert Zaragosa in a thrilling backside duel to capture the crown last year. The former University of San Francisco standout will make his much-awaited pro campaign starting next month.
The ace shotmaker was actually set to join the pro ranks last year, even topping the Philippine Golf Tour Qualifying School, but decided to further hone up for the big league.
He made the grade again in last month’s PGT Q-School and teamed up with Iñigo Raymundo to pocket the NGAP National Doubles Amateur crown at Camp Aguinaldo last week.
Carlos will be facing a crack field in the 72-hole championship that serves as the kickoff leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour, with Zaragosa and 2014 winner LJ Go leading the local challenge.
Koreans Jun Jhon, Nam Kyung Woo, Lee Geon, Lim Soo Min and Kang Dong Guk, on the other hand, banner the equally strong foreign cast that also include Tom Ferguson of the US, Leon Philip D’Souza of Hong Kong, Singapore’s Timothy Russell, Toshinori Iwasaki of Japan and Cameron Imber of New Zealand.